1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices that prevent the accumulation of road spray contamination on the side view mirror of a motor vehicle, but more particularly to such a device that includes a horizontal deflector that prohibits the flow of air from carrying the road spray upward from the attached spot mirror and onto the reflective surface of the main side view mirror.
2. Description of Prior Art
Side view mirrors such as the type utilized on large trucks are not only required by law, but are the only effective means for a driver to observe traffic and other related conditions on either side or to the rear of the vehicle. Due to the location these mirrors are positioned, during inclement weather a tendency arises for the reflective surfaces to accumulate a film that is virtually impossible to see through. This is the very time when the use of the mirrors is more critical than ever, and while periodic cleaning of the mirrors when parked, can ensure good visibility under normal conditions, it is difficult, unsafe, and impractical for a driver to keep the surface of the side mirrors clean while the vehicle is in motion. In an effort to alleviate this problem for drivers, several devices for cleaning the reflective surface of the side view mirror have been created. A few devices attempt to force the contamination off the surface by directing a stream of air across the mirror face, such as those assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,248,497 and 4,134,612 while another, U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,988, attempts to actually wash the surface with an elaborate water spraying mechanism. Such prior art devices known to this inventor that only attempt to remove the contamination once it has accumulated, tend to reduce a drivers field of view, are complex, expensive, and less than effective, therefore creating a need for a simple, unobtrusive deflector that successfully prevents contamination from ever reaching the mirrors surface.